‘I’m in The Office spin-off – I’m frightened fans will be disappointed in me’

Friends, The Simpsons, Parks and Rec – there are plenty of contenders for the greatest sitcom ever made.  

Yet, if you had a Netflix subscription in the 2010s, it’s very likely that a certain mockumentary has a special place in your heart.  

I’m writing, of course, about The US Office. This brilliant remake of Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais’ seminal work reimagined the sharp-edged, cynical UK version as something lighter but no less funny.  

Now, after more than a decade off our screens, the brains behind that beloved show are back with a brand new series called The Paper.  

A pseudo-sequel and spin-off to the workplace comedy The Paper follows the staff of The Toledo Truth-Teller as they try to revitalise the flagging outlet.  

Ahead of the show’s release, Metro sat down with Sabrina Impacciatore, who plays the wildly eccentric Esmeralda Grand, to talk about the new show, and the star was more than willing to admit she’s nervous about how fans will receive the show given its illustrious predecessor. 

‘I became addicted to The Office, really addicted,’ she explained. ‘That show is such a legendary show that I feel frightened by the idea that people could be disappointed, not by the show, but by me.  

‘I think this show is great… but I have imposter syndrome. I don’t know how people are going to react to Esmerelda.’ 

Sabrina, for her part, loves Esmerelda because she allows the star to act a bit crazy and go to places she would never.  

‘[When I’m Esmerelda] I can be impolite, where I can be manipulative, I can be nasty, I can be bossy, but in a funny way,’ she said. ‘It’s a very refreshing character, and it’s very liberating.’ 

(Picture: Rob Latour/Shutterstock)

Indeed, if you watch The Paper, you’ll grow to love Esmerelda like I did; she’s a larger-than-life character who demands attention a lot like Steve Carell’s Michael Scott.  

Indeed, for Sabrina, there’s more than just eccentricity that links these characters.  

She believes that Esmerelda’s big, bold persona and her sometimes antagonistic actions are a sort of defence against the world, in the same way Michael used humour to hide his own insecurities.  

(Picture: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Threads by Instagram)

‘I think she’s always at war,’ she replied when I asked about the character’s obvious insecurities.   

‘It’s her against the world; everybody could be a potential enemy. I see her as a very lonely woman, someone who has had to struggle for her entire life.

‘She wants to be part of the American dream. She wants to stay in this society. So, if she feels threatened, she must react to that. She tries to neutralise people before they hurt her.’ 

Beyond that defensiveness, Sabrina also believes – in a very meta way – that Esemerlda is playing up to the mockumentary cameras in the hopes of winning over the audience at home. 

‘I thought maybe Esmerelda wants to use the camera to seduce people outside the office. Maybe she would like to become a star one day. 

‘I asked [the writers], What do you think about it. They said, “We love it”.’  

All episodes of The Paper will be available on Sky and streaming service NOW on 5th September.

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